Custom Spray

Where to find parts? Refactoring your entire transmitter, new cases? Sticks etc..
Post Reply
User avatar
nsf
Posts: 180
Joined: Mon May 07, 2012 4:32 pm
Country: Portugal
Location: Aveiro

Re: Custom Spray

Post by nsf »

formontoya wrote:
lardo5150 wrote:
How did you get the white on the lettering like up, down, etc

I don't know how he did it...but in the past and how I will do mine (for resessed lettering) is with a toothpick.
It was something like that. Not with a toothpick, but with a needle. A piece of tissue at hand for cleaning the excess paint. The result is the same. And a lot of patience.

User avatar
Scott Page
Posts: 864
Joined: Wed Dec 28, 2011 3:32 am
Country: United States
Location: Tri-Cities, Washington State

Re: Custom Spray

Post by Scott Page »

http://www.ronlund.com/ And in the search box type "nuts"
lardo5150
Posts: 8
Joined: Tue Jan 22, 2013 3:53 am
Country: -

Re: Custom Spray

Post by lardo5150 »

How are you guys removing the screen?

When you do remove is the standard graphic attatched to it or does it come off as well?

I am trying to get an idea on how hard it is to take the screen off then put it back with the new graphic.
formontoya
Posts: 55
Joined: Tue Jan 08, 2013 4:12 am
Country: -
Location: Texas

Re: Custom Spray

Post by formontoya »

The lens is removed similar to the labels...soak in WD-40 for 10 minutes and they'll pop off with a knife tip...I cleaned up with 409 and a heavy rinse afterward. The lens pops off easily as well and on mine the label was attached to the inside of the lens without flaws. As a matter of fact quite a bit of the adhesive was still in place on the inside of the label. I'm not even going to mess with the origional labels as I made the new ones that all stick from the outside. I left the foam gasket in place and just taped over it to avoid getting paint on it. As suggested I will use thin double sided tape for attaching the lens. As well my labels allow for me to spray a clearcoat over them.
Jim

"Any intelligent fool can make things bigger and more complex...It takes a touch of genius - and a lot of courage to move in the opposite direction."
- Albert Einstein
formontoya
Posts: 55
Joined: Tue Jan 08, 2013 4:12 am
Country: -
Location: Texas

Re: Custom Spray

Post by formontoya »

Well, doing a swirl is certainly all about technique and luck. I've done 5 tests, but on the first test the paint was thinned too much and just looked like a "wash" in stead of a paint. But I do have 4 of the test up and some comments along the way...

1. Make absolutly sure you've mixed the paint well before it's poured in. Thin only as required, if the paint is thinned too much it will blend, so take that into consideration.

2. Water temperature makes the difference. The colder the temperature the faster the paint will "skim" and be more difficult to swirl/mix.

3. One should pour close to the water so no paint submerges as when it does and comes back to the surface it will always have a bit of water on top. That will get trapped between the object (transmitter) and the paint and look like a heavy paint drip. It is actually a "paint bag" filled with water. When it does collapse it will look like a runny explosion, but not in a good way.

4. Have supplies at hand as you'll be in a "tight" spot once this starts...

5. Test/test/test-practice/practice/practice...


PICT0034-s.jpg
PICT0039-s.jpg
My colors are red/orange/yellow/white.
I'm partiatial to #2 myself, I just think the other 3 are a bit "busy" for my taste. I just need to get the red to be the main color. I achieved #2 by pouring the colors into seperate corners and then bringing them into a light swirl. The other 3 were done by pouring the colors on top of each other and swirling them afterward as well.

More testing to get a little consistancy toward #2 but I've used the first batch of paint up with no place to restock and try again until Monday.
Jim

"Any intelligent fool can make things bigger and more complex...It takes a touch of genius - and a lot of courage to move in the opposite direction."
- Albert Einstein

User avatar
Scott Page
Posts: 864
Joined: Wed Dec 28, 2011 3:32 am
Country: United States
Location: Tri-Cities, Washington State

Re: Custom Spray

Post by Scott Page »

also dip the Tx all the way under the water, then use a blow dryer pointed to the middle of the container -- the paint will all move to the sides and you can pull the Tx up and out without getting a mess on the pass upward through the surface.

Did you use Borax in the solution? It makes a big difference, but too much is a problem.
formontoya
Posts: 55
Joined: Tue Jan 08, 2013 4:12 am
Country: -
Location: Texas

Re: Custom Spray

Post by formontoya »

I used newspapers to move the paint out of the way for the "up" pass. Something about electricity and water that close together I'm not very fond of.

I did use Borax on a couple of the passes. While it does help "float" the paint, if one pours slowly and close to the water surface it's not required...but this is definatly a "test" type of thing.

I'm still in the test phase before I'm happy enough to dip the TX.
Jim

"Any intelligent fool can make things bigger and more complex...It takes a touch of genius - and a lot of courage to move in the opposite direction."
- Albert Einstein
JustinTime
Posts: 140
Joined: Tue Jan 29, 2013 4:12 am
Country: -
Location: SoCal

Re: Custom Spray

Post by JustinTime »

formontoya, I like #3 the best. :)
User avatar
Scott Page
Posts: 864
Joined: Wed Dec 28, 2011 3:32 am
Country: United States
Location: Tri-Cities, Washington State

Re: Custom Spray

Post by Scott Page »

formontoya wrote:I used newspapers to move the paint out of the way for the "up" pass. Something about electricity and water that close together I'm not very fond of.

I did use Borax on a couple of the passes. While it does help "float" the paint, if one pours slowly and close to the water surface it's not required...but this is definatly a "test" type of thing.

I'm still in the test phase before I'm happy enough to dip the TX.
I've found a way to keep the water and container clean so I can go to the next dip sooner. I nest a bunch of garbage bags in the dipping container, and fill the inner bag with the water solution. Once I'm done with that, I strain out excess paint and remove the bag so the water is now contained in the next clean bag. Not necessary, but it speeds things up when experimenting or doing multiple items. I use a kitchen strainer to remove pieces of stray paint. If not using borax .. this is not nearly as much of an issue. Also I've found that (believe it or not) WD-40 clean up the paint better than any other solvent. Twice I've botched a dip and was able to remove most all of the paint with WD-40 and lots of paper towels. When I dip the transmitter I hot melt glue a dowel in the antenna hole for a handle. Really helps hang onto things.

Have fun.
formontoya
Posts: 55
Joined: Tue Jan 08, 2013 4:12 am
Country: -
Location: Texas

Re: Custom Spray

Post by formontoya »

Hey Scott,

I really like the "bag" idea. You're correct, that will speed up the test runs. How about putting a bunch of small holes in the bottom of the bag with a straight pin or something and just use it as the strainer...I'm trying that this weekend as I probably have at least 4 test runs planned. I planned on using a 2ft peice of 1/4" all thread with 2 washers and nuts to dip the TX. and I'll keep the WD-40 handy just in case...

Thanks
Jim

"Any intelligent fool can make things bigger and more complex...It takes a touch of genius - and a lot of courage to move in the opposite direction."
- Albert Einstein
JustinTime
Posts: 140
Joined: Tue Jan 29, 2013 4:12 am
Country: -
Location: SoCal

Re: Custom Spray

Post by JustinTime »

A few times in this thread people asked if there is a tool to unscrew the nuts off the switches. I had made one myself. I used a round aluminum rod but a square one can be used as well. I had the round one laying around. I drilled a hole in the middle to fit the flat switches, about 5mm. I drilled it 20mm deep. I marked with a sharpie a line across the hole and sawed a little left and right of the line. Just a little! Then I sawed off from the sides to the cuts and the you have a tool to unscrew the nuts.
Attachments
100_0515.JPG
JustinTime
Posts: 140
Joined: Tue Jan 29, 2013 4:12 am
Country: -
Location: SoCal

Re: Custom Spray

Post by JustinTime »

I used this primer http://www.homedepot.com/Rust-Oleum-Pai ... Rf0HqVEH0R. I kind of like it, flat and all, and was thinking of leaving it as the finish product and just spray a clear coat over it. I tried on the inside back cover a little of this clear, http://www.homedepot.com/Rust-Oleum-Pai ... Rf2NKVEH0Q and had a reaction with the primer. Thank goodness I did only a bit and inside. I now wonder if I chose the correct product for my painting. I also used a bit of this, but in white, http://www.homedepot.com/Rust-Oleum-Pai ... Rf2_6VEH0Q but didn't spray any of the clear on it yet since it is still drying. It says on the can also bonds to plastic. Anybody used this paint and knows it it is OK to continue or not?

Another question. Is it safe to put the painted case in the oven, on maybe 65°c/150°f, to dry faster and better?
formontoya
Posts: 55
Joined: Tue Jan 08, 2013 4:12 am
Country: -
Location: Texas

Re: Custom Spray

Post by formontoya »

I used the exact same brand primer you did...only in white. As well, the paint you picked for the yellow...I used the same to...only in red. I've not done the clear yet, but I'm using the same clear you have listed. I don't know how long you waited between the color and the clear, but when I use to build plastic model cars I always waited a couple of days drying time before I did the clear, especially for any oil based paint. I could not say about the oven.
Jim

"Any intelligent fool can make things bigger and more complex...It takes a touch of genius - and a lot of courage to move in the opposite direction."
- Albert Einstein
formontoya
Posts: 55
Joined: Tue Jan 08, 2013 4:12 am
Country: -
Location: Texas

Re: Custom Spray

Post by formontoya »

I managed 4 more test runs. The "bag" idea worked pretty good. I poked holes in the bottom of the bags with a toothpick and used the bag as a strainer. Just pulled one bag out when done with a test and the water was pretty clean...not enough for the final Tx dip, but good enough for another test. I would not use a bag for any "real" dips as the bag kind of floats around too much and could get on the item being dipped...but for testing back-to-back quickly they work great.

I would have liked a bit more yellow in the final dip but the yellow really needs thickening as it wants to bleed and displace the other colors. So I painted my button/switch lettering yellow. I used Testors paint for the swirl.

1 thing I observed after the Tx dip is that the water and paint "rush in" at the lens opening and left a "void" of paint that did not really come back together until the top. The duller red is the base coat. I actually "flicked" paint from a toothpick to get the look there.
Attachments
s-PICT0065.jpg
s-PICT0072.jpg
s-PICT0073.jpg
s-PICT0075.jpg
s-PICT0060.jpg
Jim

"Any intelligent fool can make things bigger and more complex...It takes a touch of genius - and a lot of courage to move in the opposite direction."
- Albert Einstein
User avatar
Scott Page
Posts: 864
Joined: Wed Dec 28, 2011 3:32 am
Country: United States
Location: Tri-Cities, Washington State

Re: Custom Spray

Post by Scott Page »

Dipping is a kick in the butt isn't it.
User avatar
jhsa
Posts: 19480
Joined: Tue Dec 27, 2011 5:13 pm
Country: Germany

Re: Custom Spray

Post by jhsa »

I like it.. you guys are going to make me dismantle my radios after all the work I had putting them together..
I thing it is just a matter of time.. :D

João
My er9x/Ersky9x/eepskye Video Tutorials
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL5uJhoD7sAKidZmkhMpYpp_qcuIqJXhb9

Donate to Er9x/Ersky9x:
https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=YHX43JR3J7XGW
User avatar
Scott Page
Posts: 864
Joined: Wed Dec 28, 2011 3:32 am
Country: United States
Location: Tri-Cities, Washington State

Re: Custom Spray

Post by Scott Page »

jhsa wrote:I like it.. you guys are going to make me dismantle my radios after all the work I had putting them together..
I thing it is just a matter of time.. :D

João
The reactions I get from other pilots are really weird. Some criticize with their mouths while their eyes have admiration, others are just physically repulsed that anybody would so desecrate a radio. :twisted: I'll never coordination to fly like the Uber 3D pilots, never have the patience to build like those old timers that put three years 6 hours a day into a super scale beauty, I don't have the balls to fly upside down 18" off the deck at 100KMH, so I need to be able to do something different than the rest -- to have my thing - even if it's just a radio that looks like the Jolly Green Giant's sputum or dragon barf -- as my radios have been called.
formontoya
Posts: 55
Joined: Tue Jan 08, 2013 4:12 am
Country: -
Location: Texas

Re: Custom Spray

Post by formontoya »

I actually come from 20+ years with a car as a "toy", so I'm use to someone else saying what I have is garbage because it was not built to their taste. Love it/hate it...there's still a reaction, and at the end of the day that's what we're looking for...


The other "toy"...
800-fds_hu.JPG


Last bit of work done...
800-PDRM0019.JPG
Jim

"Any intelligent fool can make things bigger and more complex...It takes a touch of genius - and a lot of courage to move in the opposite direction."
- Albert Einstein
JustinTime
Posts: 140
Joined: Tue Jan 29, 2013 4:12 am
Country: -
Location: SoCal

Re: Custom Spray

Post by JustinTime »

formontoya, the primer I used is white too I just couldn't fine it on the Home Depot page. ;)

As I wrote, the reaction was only to the primer, not the final paint, and that was after about 24hr drying in the house, since the garage is kind of cold during the nigh. :cry: It's going to warm up soon, I'm sure. :D

I too think seriously about the dipping. I have to see where I can get the paint in small quantities like in really small quantities. It's going to be a one time thing, the dip painting and any excess paint will be dumped eventually.
formontoya
Posts: 55
Joined: Tue Jan 08, 2013 4:12 am
Country: -
Location: Texas

Re: Custom Spray

Post by formontoya »

I've never clear coated over primer, but would not think the chemistry for top coat paint would be too much different than for primer...just different pigment added, maybe some binders. As well my projects only stayed outside the house for about an hour, then brought into a free room inside where the temperature is more controlled, but you kind of did that as well...so no answers there.

I used Testors paint and it comes in 1/4 oz bottles. Although I actually purchased 3 bottles of each color used after 8 test runs and the final TX dip. I can get the bottles at Hobby Lobby for $1.39 each. Small bottle of mineral spirits for $2.50. A 1X4 x 8ft board at Home Depot for testing on...less than $2. Generic trash can for $5.
Jim

"Any intelligent fool can make things bigger and more complex...It takes a touch of genius - and a lot of courage to move in the opposite direction."
- Albert Einstein
JustinTime
Posts: 140
Joined: Tue Jan 29, 2013 4:12 am
Country: -
Location: SoCal

Re: Custom Spray

Post by JustinTime »

I can get a bucket for $1 at the dollar store. Good to know the price for the paint at Hobby Lobby. I'll look at Michael's first since it is closer to me. All the other stuff I have lying around already.
formontoya
Posts: 55
Joined: Tue Jan 08, 2013 4:12 am
Country: -
Location: Texas

Re: Custom Spray

Post by formontoya »

The only thing I would mention about the "bucket" is to make sure it's deep enough that you don't wipe the top while trying to move excess paint out of the way for the "up pass". Yet one does not want to bottom out the Tx either. My trash can is 20in deep and I used newspaper to move the paint.

As Scott mentioned it's a "kick in the butt" to see the final result. One tries to get it to go in a direction, but in the end it is very random. Anyone that does this will have the only Tx that looks like theirs anywhere.
Jim

"Any intelligent fool can make things bigger and more complex...It takes a touch of genius - and a lot of courage to move in the opposite direction."
- Albert Einstein
User avatar
Scott Page
Posts: 864
Joined: Wed Dec 28, 2011 3:32 am
Country: United States
Location: Tri-Cities, Washington State

Re: Custom Spray

Post by Scott Page »

formontoya wrote:The only thing I would mention about the "bucket" is to make sure it's deep enough that you don't wipe the top while trying to move excess paint out of the way for the "up pass". Yet one does not want to bottom out the Tx either. My trash can is 20in deep and I used newspaper to move the paint.

As Scott mentioned it's a "kick in the butt" to see the final result. One tries to get it to go in a direction, but in the end it is very random. Anyone that does this will have the only Tx that looks like theirs anywhere.

I've done several of these now, and spending the time to do the trials that formontoya is definitely worth the time! I've had a couple come out to darn ugly that I had to immediately attack them with WD-40 to remove the enamel paint and try again. I've found I tend to put too much paint in the bucket rather than too little, and then it tends to run. I use a blow dryer to move the paint to the side and pull the transmitter up through the area blown free of paint and immediately blow dry (from a distance) to discourage any drippage as the fresh paint sets. Kuje formontoya mentioned before - electricity and water don't mix well, especially when there is flesh in the mix, so a GFI circuit is pretty essential.
JustinTime
Posts: 140
Joined: Tue Jan 29, 2013 4:12 am
Country: -
Location: SoCal

Re: Custom Spray

Post by JustinTime »

Scott, did you do it with the two half separated or did you do it the them together?
User avatar
Scott Page
Posts: 864
Joined: Wed Dec 28, 2011 3:32 am
Country: United States
Location: Tri-Cities, Washington State

Re: Custom Spray

Post by Scott Page »

Together so the pattern would continue from one to the other.
formontoya
Posts: 55
Joined: Tue Jan 08, 2013 4:12 am
Country: -
Location: Texas

Re: Custom Spray

Post by formontoya »

Another item to mention...I don't know what Scott did, but I masked off the module area as it is a pretty snug fit. I did not want to scrape/remove paint if it built up too much to get the module back in. As well I masked the battery area, but it is probably not as critical to do. I used inserts for the 6 main body screws, the 4 module board screws as well as the 8 screws that hold on the main board around the +/-/up/dn and menu/exit buttons...of course those were masked off as well. And last thing I masked the gasket around the lens as I did not want to mess it up trying to remove it.

I too had a tendancy to add too much paint during the tests. I also found that some colors (yellow for me) have a tendancy to displace the other colors and that most of my white just sank to the bottom. So yes, testing is a good thing to find out what might happen during the real dip.

I obviously did both front/back/battery cover together to keep the pattern flowing as if it were 1 piece and will use a razor to "cut" the seam and pull them apart tommorrow after 3 days dry time. Then it will sit at that stage for 2 more days before 1 light clear coat then I'm ready for a wet sand-2 more coats-light wet sand and apply labels-2 final clear coats and it should look great. But I'm still at least 2 weekends out before I'm finished and it's back together.
Jim

"Any intelligent fool can make things bigger and more complex...It takes a touch of genius - and a lot of courage to move in the opposite direction."
- Albert Einstein
JustinTime
Posts: 140
Joined: Tue Jan 29, 2013 4:12 am
Country: -
Location: SoCal

Re: Custom Spray

Post by JustinTime »

Scott, so what did you do to avoid the problem that formontoya reported with the water and paint rushing in and leaving a void?
User avatar
Scott Page
Posts: 864
Joined: Wed Dec 28, 2011 3:32 am
Country: United States
Location: Tri-Cities, Washington State

Re: Custom Spray

Post by Scott Page »

I taped and filled every single hole in the transmitter on some. Others I lowered very slowly and moved and rotated the transmitter as I lowered it. Sealing the TX's always had some leaks that bubbled -- and that cleared the paint from the middle so was not as successful as slowly lowering and turning and moving.
formontoya
Posts: 55
Joined: Tue Jan 08, 2013 4:12 am
Country: -
Location: Texas

Re: Custom Spray

Post by formontoya »

Slow being the key. My issue was that the little bit of yellow I added last started to disperse the other colors and I had to dip faster than I would have liked. That's what really caused the rush and void of paint in the center front. If one looks close then it's clear where the undercoat ends and the swirl starts at the upper corners of the lens window passing through off center of the stick "holes".
Jim

"Any intelligent fool can make things bigger and more complex...It takes a touch of genius - and a lot of courage to move in the opposite direction."
- Albert Einstein
JustinTime
Posts: 140
Joined: Tue Jan 29, 2013 4:12 am
Country: -
Location: SoCal

Re: Custom Spray

Post by JustinTime »

formontoya did you dilute the paint before you dripped it into the water? Did you use borax in the water? I think it was you who mentioned that the white color dropped to the bottom of the bucket. I've read that diluting the paint and using borax helps avoiding this. Also, how much of the paint did you use on the radio itself. Those bottles are tiny and cost here in SoCal $1,59. I was seriously thinking not using the dip method and spray paint it. The paint is just too expensive. I bought one bottle of each of the three colors I want to use, to try it out and see what gives.

Post Reply

Return to “Hardware Mods”